Pocket magnifier case and support



y 1954 R. E. GORDENIER ,6 ,8

POCKET MAGNIFIER CASE AND SUPPORT Filed Sept. 28, 1950 Snnentor ROBERT E. GORDENIER Patented July 6, 1954 POCKET MAGNIFIER CASE AND SUPPORT Robert E. Gordenier, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to -Brown & Bigelow, St. Paul, Minn., a. corporation of Minnesota Application September 28, 1950, Serial No. 187,250

, 1 Claim.- 1 This invention relates to a pocket magnifier which folds into a compact package, the frame of which provides a support for the magnifier when it is in use.

A feature resides in a magnifier, which may be made of plastic or other suitable material such as glass, which is provided with shields for the surface of the magnifier to protect the same.-

The covers are adapted to fold over the surface of the magnifier to enclose the same and protect it against wear when not in use.

It is also a feature to. provide a pocket magnifier wherein the magnifying element is formed of a single piece of plastic which is molded so that the magnifying portion thereof is centered in the plastic body. The four corners at the sides are formed with projecting lugs adapted to pivotally support the cover members and provided with bearing surfaces against which the ears of the covers engage to provide the rigid bearing means for the ends of the covers so that they may be rotated on the projecting lugs. The bearing surfaces and the lugs are formed integral with the body of the plastic magnifier plate.

fier elevated from the article on which it is adapt ed to rest when being used as a magnifier.

In the drawings forming part of the specification: 7

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of themagnifier as it would appear in use.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the magnifier when it is folded into a compact state.

Figure 5 is an end view of the magnifier as it would appear when folded.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the plate body of the magnifier removed from the cover shields.

The magnifier A is formed with a plastic body 10 which may be molded from transparent plastic such as Lucite or a similar plastic which has a clear transparent nature. The body [0 may also be made of glass or any other suitable transparent material.

The body [0 of the magnifier A is in plate-like form, and centrally positioned within the same a magnifying portion l I is formed by an arcuated surface which projects from either side of the plate body I0.

At each corner of the plate body I0, I form integral with the plate, bearing portions 12 which have a flat surface I3 adapted to act as a bearing for supporting the cover shields M.

The cover shields M are formed with side flanges [5 which are formed by bending portions along the edges of the shields M at right angles to the body of the shields, thus reinforcing the shields at their corners. The flanges l5 taper from the free end I 6 to the ear portions H which are adapted to bear against the bearing portions I 2 with spring tension. The spring tension to the ears I1 is provided by bending the ear portions I! inwardly and thus causing a spring tension and friction against the bearing portions l2 to support the shields I4 in place.

The lastic lugs [8 project centrally from the bearing surfaces l2, and are adapted to engage in the hole [9 formed in the ear portions H to hold the cover shields to the plastic body it of the magnifier A.

Recesses 20 are formed in the bearing surfaces l2 which are adapted to engage the dents 2| formed in the ear portions I? to hold the magnifier shields l4 projecting, as illustrated in Figure 1, so that the shields act as supporting members to hold the magnifier A elevated from the surface on which it is resting when in use.

Projecting ribs 22 are formed on the side edges of the body it! of the magnifier A, and by means of the longitudinal dents 23 which engage over the projecting ribs 22, the cover shields it are held in closed position to extend over and cover and protect the magnifying surface i l of the magnifier A when the magnifier is folded in compact state and carried in ones pocket. Thus, the cover plates I4 act to shield and protect the magnifying surface I I from being scratched or marred when it is in folded position.

In this manner, I provide a simple inexpensive pocket magnifier which may be folded into a fiat compact form and readily be opened with the covers [4 resting upon the surface which is magnified by viewing the same through the magnifier II. The parallel disposed ribs 23 which project on the side surface of the flanges l5 readily engage over the ribs 22 to hold the cover members 14 in closed position.

The magnifier A is composed of three parts, namely, the plastic body It] in which the magnifier surface I I is formed centrally disposed therein and the two cover members I 4, which are virtually identical, one of which folds against one side of the magnifier H while the other turns around the lug I8 to fold onto the other side as indicated by the arrows in Figure l.

The inner edges 24 of the cover plates 14 form a shoulder which rests against the body when the covers [4 aremoved into open position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

The metal covers [4 with the side flanges have a spring nature so that the ear portions 11 engage the bearing plate portions i2 under spring tension. The spring in the metal flanges !5 also engage the ribs 22 with springtension sufficient to hold the covers M in closed position as illus-, trated in Figure 6, yet permitting the covers to be rotated on the pivots illustrated in Figure 1.

The plate body H] has formed on one end thereof the extended shoulder portion zfiadapted to be engaged by the inner edge24 of the cover late M whereby the cover plate M is maintained in the supporting position shown in. Figures 1 and. 2. The edge 24 of the remaining cover shield M engages the under fiat surface of the plate body:

member as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and also illustrated in Figure 1.

I claim:

In a magnifier having a combination supportcover, a substantially fiat rectangular transparent body-member having a magnifying element formed thereon and extending therethrough to the opposed flat surfaces thereof, bearing members formed on each of the corners of said flat. body member with the outer surfaces thereof atright angles thereto and flush with the outeredges of said body member, stub shafts extending centrally from said bearing members at right angles to the edges of said body member, a pair of thin plate-like cover and support members each having parallelly disposed flanges formed l8 into the position;

thereon and at right angles thereto, each of said plate-like members having a defined upper edge and in addition a defined lower edge adapted to rest upon a surface to support said magnifier spaced therefrom, ear portions extending from said flanges beyond said upper edges of said plate members, means for hingedly mounting said ear portions onsaid stub shafts and against the outer surfaces of said-cbearingmembers each of said upper edges of said cover plates forming a shoulder for engagement with the underside of said body member wwithsaid flanges extending in the same direction from said cover plates when said cover plates are rotated on said stub shafts to a position atright angles to said body member and in parallel opposed relation to place the same in open supporting position, said plates being adapted to cover both the opposed fiat surfaces of said body-.member when said upper shoulder edges thereof are pivoted away from the under surface of 'said body member and said plates further moved onto the body ,-member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

